MILLIONS of people with diabetes should eat a vegetarian diet to help reverse the killer condition, doctors say.

A healthy, plant-based diet can significantly improve blood sugar levels and even potentially leave patients free of the disease.

An analysis of previous studies showed a vegetarian diet had significant benefits in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and improved insulin sensitivity.

Researchers found eating a vegetable-based diet reduced levels of a key blood protein. For people with diabetes, this is important as the higher it is, the greater the risk of developing further complications.

Study author Dr Neal Barnard, from the George Washington University School of Medicine in the US, said: “No drug comes close to offering those with diabetes this kind of relief.

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A plant-based diet gives you a limitless of delicious recipes to try out

“One simple prescription could help reverse diabetes, improve blood sugar, and lower weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. And all this is possible, our analysis found, not with a new magic pill, but with tried-and-true simple changes to diet.”

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age and a major cause of lower limb amputation, kidney failure and stroke.

In Britain, there are three million people living with diabetes and 850,000 more who are unaware they have Type 2 as it has not been diagnosed.

A team of researchers from the US and Japan, writing in the journal Cardiovascular Diagnosis And Therapy, published the new analysis showing that a plant-based diet significantly improves diabetes management.

“There’s no portion control or strenuous exercise routines. We tell patients they can eat as much as they want – and as much whole wheat pasta, whole grains, and brown rice as they want – as long as they’re not eating ­animal products or lots of added oils. The diet is simple and clear, and it’s easier than ever to follow.

“With a plant-based diet, we could help tackle the disease once and for all.”

Tracy Kelly, head of clinical care at Diabetes UK, said: “We know that the features of vegetarian eating patterns that may reduce the risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and fibre. But longer studies have also shown that eating a vegetarian diet does not consistently improve glycaemic control or reduce risk of heart disease, except where energy intake was restricted and people lost weight.

“The evidence does not suggest that everyone should adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet but there are benefits of increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses and eating less saturated fat.

“We continue to encourage people to maintain a healthy weight through balanced eating and physical activity.

“We recommend an eating pattern that is mindful of ­portion sizes, contains all the food groups and is low in ­saturated fat, added sugar and salt.”